MAYVILLE – Chautauqua Lake Team II won the 36th annual Chautauqua County Envirothon held recently at Boy Scouts of America’s Camp Merz in Mayville.

Students from 15 area schools, comprising 27 separate teams, competed. Students spent the day answering environmentally-based questions focused around the core areas of wildlife, forestry, soils, aquatics and a current issue. The Envirothon, an environmental competition for students in ninth through 12th grades, held its first competition in New York in the spring of 1979. The Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District hosted its first Envirothon locally in 1990.

The 2026 overall winner placings are as follows: Chautauqua Lake Team II in first place, Westfield II in second, and Hewes II in third. The winning team was coached by Mary Jantzi. The winning team member names are Dayne Jantzi, Evan Riedesel, Jocelyn Miller, Eve Kushmaul, Jacob Gilmore, and Liam Schulz.

Also, awards will be given for high scores in the individual categories. Falconer II scored first in the soils category. Forestville I was first in wildlife, and Westfield I was first in forestry. Forestville I placed first in the aquatics category, and Panama I placed first in current issue.

Chautauqua Lake team II will now travel to the State University at Cortland on May 27-28 to represent Chautauqua County in the New York State Envirothon.

Sponsors and supporters include Camp Merz, the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, Ecostrategies Civil, Engineering PLLC, Gymnastic Society of Polish Falcons, Inc., W.P. Jackway Post 6764 V.F.W., Ripley Rod & Gun Club, Lakewood Rod & Gun Club, Westfield Fish & Game Club, Inc., Chautauqua Lake Fishing Association, Laumer & DeAngelo Fessenden, Reds Best LLC, Conewango Creek Watershed Assn., Conewango Creek Watershed Association, Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club, Greener Gardens, Allegheny Foothills Chapter NYFOA, Chautauqua Co Federation of Sportsmen, AP Tree Care, County Line Stone Co., Inc, Knight Vineyards LLC, Merk Drilling & Blasting Corp., Rock Hill Engineering LLC, Shults Management Company.